At present there are known systems by which bricks can be manufactured and processed to the point of being formed into shipping packs. In one such known process bricks are placed on their edges on curing boards. The curing boards are usually filled in order to cure as many bricks as possible at one time and following curing the bricks are unloaded with standard gripping devices and placed onto grouping tables where they are tilted and regrouped for subsequent stacking procedures.
In this regard attention is directed to the following commonly assigned patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,625,375, 3,603,466 and 3,717,264 which show apparatus and methods for unloading brick layers and for forming stacks.
Bricks are, of course, rather fragile and brittle commodities so that during handling, breakage and damage can very likely occur. Thus, where bricks are frequently moved from one forming area to another or moved from one arrangement to another, such multiple handling operations serve only to increase the likelihood that damage will occur to bricks thereby creating seconds as well as lost time in having to inspect bricks prior to shipment.